Feeding apparatus for lifts of limp sheets



Nov. 2, 1965 A. MALAMOOD ETAL 3,215,014

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR LIFTS OF LIMP SHEETS Filed Oct. 16, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

JNVENTOR. ABRAHAM MALAMOOD BY HERMAN MALAMOOD PW 722mm ATTORNEYS 4Sheets-Sheet 2 A. MALAMOOD ETAL FEEDING APPARATUS FOR LIFTS OF LIMPSHEETS Nov. 2, 1965 Filed Oct. 16, 1962 BY HERMAN MALAMOOD PW FWATTORNEYS Nov. 2, 1965 A. MALAMOOD ETAL 3,215,014

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR LIFTS 0F LIMP SHEETS Filed Oct. 16, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Fzyi - Mg INVENTOR.

ABRAHAM MALAMOOD BY HERMAN MALAMOOD ATTORNEYS 1965 A. MALAMOOD ETAL3,215,014

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR LIFTS 0F LIMP SHEETS Filed Oct. 16, 1962 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. ABRAHAM MALAMOOD BY HERMAN MALAMOOD ATTORN E YSUnited States Patent 3,215,014 FEEDING APPARATU FOR LIFTS 0F LIMP SHEETSAbraham Malamood, 2245 Prospect Ave., Bronx, N.Y.,

and Herman Malamood, 6336 Grand Central Parkway,

Forest Hills, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 230,929 6 Claims. (Cl. 83155) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for feeding lifts of paper sheets to anautomatic paper treatment machine, in registration, for the performanceof a punching, tabbing, indexing, perforating, round cornering, drillingor like register operation.

The lifts may consist of any desired number of sheets, depending on thecapacity of the automatic machine and the sheets are usually relativelyflimsy, limp and flexible so that the lift cannot be handled by ordinaryfeed apparatus. In addition, despite the thin, limp nature of the sheetsin the lift, it is essential that the edges of the sheets in the lift beflush and in exact registration with each other at the time theregistered treatment operation takes place.

It has heretofore been proposed, as in US. Patent No. 2,641,321 toCruzan of June 9, 1953, to advance successive lifts between continuouslytravelling tapes across the bed of a treatment machine, to intercepteach lift at the bed by a movable end stop for registering the leadingedge, and to then push the lift laterally toward the back gauge of themachine for registering the side edges of the lift. Among thedisadvantages of such a feed and registration apparatus are the factthat the impact of each lift against the end stop may tend to mark orcrumple the leading edges of the sheets, the tapes are frictionallyurging the upper and lower sheets forwardly during the treatmentoperation and the lateral movement of each lift is accomplished againstthe frictional resistance of the tapes and against the frictionalresistance of the end stop.

In many binding operations, some paper sheets are shorter than the othersheets, but must still be treated in registration with the back gauge ofthe treatment machine. In a paricular lift, if the short sheets arespaced from the back gauge edge of the lift but flush with the oppositeedge of the lift, a lateral push on the said opposite edge toward theback gauge will have no effect in aligning the important back gaugeedges for punching or other treatment. Thus the machines of the priorart do not properly orient short sheets for treatment.

Similarly many sheets used in binding operations are of the coatedenamel type with glossy, slippery surfaces. Friction tapes tend to slipon such surfaces and to result in an inaccurate registration of forwardand trailing edges when operable with an end stop. In the apparatus ofthis invention short sheets are oriented laterally by gravity andoriented longitudinally first by a push on the trailing edge and then bya push on the forward edge, whereby short sheets and slippery sheets areunder control and accurately registered.

The principal object of this invention is to accomplish the registrationof the side edges of each such lift while the lift is advancing towardthe treatment station, and by gravity, so that there is no undue impactor frictional resistance and so that the lift is in longitudinal, orside, registration with the back gauge upon arrival at the treatmentstation.

Another object of the invention is to accomplish the registration of theleading and trailing edges of each such lift Fby halting the trailingedges exactly in registration on the bed of the machine, without impact,and then jogging the leading edges of the individual sheets in the liftrearwardly toward the register line established by the trailing edges.

Patented Nov. 2, 1965 "ice A further object of the invention is toprovide an intermittent, register chain, feed for an automatic punchingmachine which includes a positive stop mechanism for halting theregister chain lugs exactly at the treatment station and flexiblepressure members for holding each lift in contact with its lugs duringthe deceleration of the register chain to prevent over run.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automatic feedfor a punching machine in which each successive lift of limp sheets isregistered laterally and longitudinally without undue impact and ispunched, or otherwise treated, at a time when it is not engaged by anymoving parts of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theclaims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of a machine constructed in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, normal to the bed, or table surface, of themachine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation in section on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation, from one end of the machine;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation, partly in section, from the other end of themachine;

FIG. 6 is a detail view illustrating the positive stop and controlcircuit of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary end elevation showing the leadingedge jogger of the invention.

In the drawings, 20 designates a conventional automatic punching machinewell known in the art and having a bed, or table, 21 for supporting alift 22 of limp sheets and having an upstanding side edge gauge 23 forregistering the adjacent edges of the lift as it is punched by the unit24. The drive mechanism 25 of the machine 20 is well known, and notdescribed in detail, but in this invention it includes a punch trippingsolenoid 26. Energization of solenoid 26 causes the multiple punchingunit 24 to descend toward the bed 21 to punch a lift and then to returnto its normal position.

Each lift 22 may consist of one or two dozen sheets, such as 27, ofrelatively flexible, limp, thin paper of the note book type, both thesheets and the lifts lacking sufiicient rigidity to be handled in themanner of paperboard or the like. When in register on the'bed 21 theopposite edges of the lift, parallel to the side edge gauge 23, aretermed side, or longitudinal, edges 28 and 29 while the other pair ofopposite edges of the lift are termed leading and trailing edges, orlateral edges 31 and 32.

Conventionally, the plane of the bed 21 is horizontaland the path of themultiple punch unit 24 is vertical. However, in this invention, framemeans 33 is provided for tilting the automatic punching machine 20 at anangle so that a lift of sheets on the bed 21 will tend to slide bygravity downwardly into contact with the side edge gauge 23.

The frame means 33 also includes a frame structure 34 and 35 forsupporting a bed extension 36 in advance of the bed 21 and a bedextension 37 in rear of the bed 21. The bed extensions 36 and 37 arecoplanar with bed 21 and jointly form a longitudinally extending pathwhich includes a lift deposit station 38, the treatment station formedby the bed 21, and a lift discharge station 39. The longitudinallyextending path, or paper line P of the apparatus 41 of this invention isthus in a plane tilted on a longitudinal axis downwardly toward the sideedge gauge 23 with the lower extremity and the higher extremity atuniform, but different, heights above floor level.

The apparatus 41 includes conveyor means 42 which includes an endlessconveyor 43 having a working stretch extending along the tilted paperline P from station 38,

across bed 21 to station 39. Preferably the conveyor 43 is in the formof a pair of parallel, endless chains, 45 and 46, each chain such as 45,being trained around a sprocket 48 on shaft 49 journalled in bearings 51and 52 at one end of the paper line P, and trained around a sprocket 53on shaft 54 journalled in bearings 55 and 56 at the other end of thepaper line P. Suitable tension sprockets such as 57 are provided for thenon working stretches of the chains and the working stretches 58 and 59are contained in longitudinal slots 61 and 62 formed by a plurality oflongitudinal bars such as 63.

Each bar 63 is transversely adjustable by means of the set screws 64which are slidable in the slotted transverse plates 65 and each sprocket48, 49 and 53 is transversely adjustable on its keyed shaft by a setscrew 66 so that the chains are movable laterally to conform to variouswidths of lifts. The upper faces 67 of the longitudinally extending,laterally spaced bars 63 are smooth for supporting each individual andsuccessive lift with a minimum of friction as the lifts are individuallyand successively advanced along the paper line P.

The lateral edge registration means 68 of the invention includes aplurality of registration lugs, or dogs, such as 69 and 70 spaced aroundthe chains 45 and 46, and arranged to project well above the plane ofthe smooth faces 67 of the bars 63 when the lugs are advancing,unidirectionally, along the paper line P. Each pair of lugs 69 and 70 islaterally, or transversely, aligned in a straight line normal to theside edge gauge 23, when at the treatment station formed by the bed 21and each pair of lugs is arranged to engage the trailing lateral edge 32of one of the lifts manually, or automatically deposited on the conveyor43 at the lift deposit station 38. The leading face 72, of each lug 69or 70 is smooth and relatively broad to avoid marking the trailing edgesof the sheets in the lift while permitting the lift to slide sidewiseand downwardly toward the side edge gauge 23, as it advances along thepaper line P.

The lateral, or transverse, edge registration means 68 also includesintermittent, or indexing, drive means 73 for advancing the workingstretch of the registration chains unidirectionally along the paper lineP and halting the chains temporarily with each successive pair of lugsexactly aligned at the bed 21 to position the lift for the treatmentoperation. A sprocket 74 carried by the shaft 54 is driven by a chain 75and sprocket 76, the sprocket 76 being carried on shaft 77, the shaft 77being driven by the ratchet gear 78, pawl 79 and gear rack rod 81. Gearrack rod 81 is reciprocated by pivotal connection at its lower end tothe crank arm 82 rotated by the shaft 83 of reducer 84. Reducer 84 isdriven by the power train 85, jack shaft 86, power train 87 and electricmotor 88.

The gear rack rod 81 and unidirectional, ratchet and pawl mechanism 78and 79 are arranged to advance the conveyor 43 in indentical incrementsof travel between stations with halts at each station. Preferably, toassure exact registration of the lugs, and the trailing edges of eachlift, at the bed 21 positive stop mechanism 91 is provided. Mechanism 91includes the stop arm cam 92 on reducer shaft 83, the cam follower arm93, pivoted at 94 to the frame, the follower arm spring 95 and the lug96 fixed on the shaft 77 which carries the ratchet and pawl drive of theconveyor. Thus the upper end 97 of follower arm 93 is normally held outof the path of the lug 96, by the cam 92 to permit the lug 96 and itsshaft to rotate while the chains advance. When the gear rack rod 81 hasreached the end of its power stroke, the cam 92 permits the spring 95 tomove the end 97 into the path of lug 96 to positively bar furtherrotation ofthe conveyor shafts and sprockets and to assure the haltingof each successive pair of lugs at the correct lateralregistration line,relative to the bed 21.

The longitudinal edge registration means 100 of the invention includesthe frame means 33 for tilting the paper line P downwardly toward theside edge gauge 23 and also includes an extension 101 of the side edgegauge 23 in advance of the bed 21 and preferably extendinglongitudinally from the lift deposit station 38 to the bed 21. The sideedge gauges 23 and 101 form an upstanding guide normal to the plane ofthe tilted path of the lifts for contacting and aligning the adjacentedges of the sheets in each lift as the lift is advanced along the paperline P by the conveyor 43. Preferably an upstanding, longitudinallyextending deflector 102 is mounted for lateral adjustment on theopposite side of the paper line P from the side edge gauges 23 and 101,the deflector 102 being angled toward the gauges and engaging theadjacent, or upper, edges of the sheets in each lift to urge them intoregistration in advance of the bed 21. Thus each successive individuallift on the conveyor 43 will be advanced to the bed 21, and halted atthe bed 21 with the longitudinally extending edges flush and firmlyagainst the side edge gauge 23, with no lateral movement necessary atthe treatment station.

At least one, and preferably several, flexible resilient strips of thinmetal, or the like, such as 103 or 104 are provided above, and inadvance of bed 21 to retard the advance of each successive lift andprevent overrunning of the lift relative to the registration lugs.

One end of each strip such as 103 is fixed to the side edge gaugeextension 101 above the paper line P at 105, the strip extendingdownwardly to a free terminal tip 106 in the path of the advancing liftsbut being readily flexed upwardly by a lift to ride on the upper sheetand exert a holddown and braking effect on the lift. The strips 103 and104 have been found to operate especially well when bent rearwardly asat 107 and then downwardly and forwardly as at 108, the resultingflexibility avoiding any marks on the sheets.

Preferably the apparatus 41 includes a leading edge jogger 111, normallybelow the path of the lifts 22 on paper line P and in rear of the bed21. Means 112 is provided for pivoting the jogger 111 upwardly andreanwardly to above the level of the paper line and into engagement withthe leading, lateral edges 31 of each lift 22 which has halted at thebed 21. In the event of overrun of the lift, when the stop mechanism 91positively stops the lugs of the conveyor 43, or in the event that oneor more sheets in the lift are not flush with the remaining sheets inthe lift, the jogger re-orients the sheets and the lift relative to thelugs, as a back gauge, so that the lift is perfectly aligned bothlaterally and longitudinally on the bed 21.

The leading edge jogger, or pusher, 111 is a metal rod of quadrangularcross section having a lift engaging tip 113 and slidable in a bracket114, the bracket being pivoted at 115 to a carriage 116 slidablelongitudinally on tracks 117. The jogger 111 includes a stud 118projecting through a slot 119 in bracket 114, and recessed in thebifurcated end 120 of a bell crank lever 121. Lever 121 is pivoted tothe frame at 122 and includes a roller follower 123 riding on the crosshead 124. Thus as cross head 124 is raised, the jogger 111 slidesupwardly and rearwardly while the bracket pivots on the movablecarriage.

The cross head 124, is synchronized with the speed of the conveyor 43,and with the stop mechanism 91, by means of the cross head pusher rod125 which carries a roller follower 126 at its lower end actuated by thecam 127 mounted on the jack shaft 128. Shaft 128, in turn, is connectedby the power train 129 to the shaft 83 of the reducer 84.

Jack shaft 128 by means of the bevel gears 131 and 132, drives thelongitudinally extending shaft 134 which extends to the lift depositstation for driving an automatic lift segregation mechanism forming nopart of this invention and, therefore, not described herein.

An electric control circuit 135 is preferably provided which includes asource of current 136, a limit switch 137 actuated by a cam 138 on theshaft 83, a stock sensing limit switch 139 having a switch arm 141arranged to close the circuit when a lift is in treatment position onbed 21 and the punch tripping solenoid 26. The control circuit 135 isthus closed to energize the solenoid 26 only when switch 139 is closedby the presence of a lift on the bed 21 and only when the switch 137 isclosed by the cam 138 to indicate that the positive stop mechanism 91has assured the exact positioning of the registration lugs at the bed21.

The solenoid 26 actuates the punching machine in the conventional mannerto cause the multiple punching unit 24 to punch the lift 22 on the bed,in exact registration and the continued rotation of reducer shaft 83,then causes cam 138 to open switch 137, release the positive stopmechanism and move the gear rack rod 81 through another cycle to advancethe next pair of registration lugs up to the bed, or treatment station,21.

A hopper 142 is provided at the lift discharge station 39 which is notonly tilted on a longitudinal axis, but also on a lateral axis so thateach lift advanced across the bed 21 drops into the hopper with itsleading edges bearing against the end wall 143 and its lateral edgesbearing against the side wall 144 and thereby forming a stack in whichall sheets and lifts have flush, aligned edges. A friction roll 146 isjournalled in the frame structure 35, at the lift discharge station 39for advancing each individual and successive lift from the conveyor 43into the hopper 142. Roll 146 is driven by the shaft 54, through a powertrain 147. A holddown roll 148 carried on an arm 149 pivoted at 151 to aroll bracket assembly 152 is also provided, the roll 148 being freelyrevolvable.

We claim:

1. In combination with an automatic machine having a bed for theperformance of a registered operation on successive lifts of papersheets, feed and registration apparatus comprising frame means includingoppositely disposed extensions to said bed, said means supporting saidmachine with the bed thereof and with said bed extensions, forming atilted longitudinal path for said lifts inclined from the horizontaltoward one side of said path and extending from a lift deposit station,through a lift treatment station to a lift discharge station;

an upstanding side edge gauge normal to said tilted bed and bedextensions along said one side of said path to accurately register theadjacent side edges of said lifts on said bed;

a pair of parallel endless, chains supported on said frame, each havinga working stretch extending along said tilted longitudinal pathcontinuously from said deposit station through said treatment station tosaid discharge station and having transversely aligned registration lugsspaced therealong in successive, laterally spaced pairs, each pairtransversely aligned normal to said gauge and advancing said lifts byengagement with the transverse trailing edge of successive lifts;

intermittent drive means indexing said chains unidirectionally, saidmeans temporarily fixing successive transversely aligned pairs of lugsof said chains in exact position at said treatment station to registerthe transverse trailing edge of the lift engaged thereby normal to saidgauge with said lift in exact position on said bed for said operation;

a leading edge jogger, mounted on said frame, in rear of said treatmentstation on said bed and out of said P and means, synchronized with saidindexing means, for actuating said jogger to push the leading edges ofthe sheets in each successive lift, halted in registration at saidtreatment station, toward the lugs engaging the trailing edge thereofafter said lugs have been temporarily fixed at said station and beforesaid operation is accomplished.

2. Apparatus for feeding lifts of paper sheets to an automatic paperpunching machine and for registering said lifts relative to the punches,side edge gauge and bed of said machine, said apparatus comprising framemeans supporting said machine in tilted position for registering a lifton said bed against said side edge gauge by gravity;

a pair of laterally spaced, endless chains mounted on said frame means,said chains having parallel working stretches extending in a planenormal to said side edge gauge from a lift deposit station, across thepunch bed of said machine to lift discharge station and having aplurality of pairs of lift advancing lugs spaced t-herearound, each pairdefining a transverse line normal to said side edge gauge on saidstretch for engaging the trailing edge of a lift;

intermittent drive means advancing said conveyor working stretchesunidirectionally from said deposit station across said punch bed to saiddischarge station and periodically halting each successive pair oftransversely alignedlugs on said bed with the trailing edge of the liftengaged thereby normal to said side gauge and the lift in exactregistration with said punches;

positive stop mechanism associated with said intermittent drive means,for positively halting each successive pair of lugs in exactregistration on said bed; and

electric control circuit means, including a switch closed by theactuation of said positive stop mechanism for actuating the punches ofsaid machine during the periodic halts of said conveyor means.

3. Apparatus as specified in claim 2 plus leading edge jogger meansoperable on the leading edges of the sheets of each lift halted on saidbed to jog the sheets in said lift into alignment against the pair oflugs engaging the trailing edge of said lift.

4. Apparatus as specified in claim 2 plus a longitudinally extendingstationary side edge deflector mounted on said frame means in advance ofsaid bed, said deflector being angled toward said side edge gauge tourge sheets in each said lift transversely of said conveyor means intoengagement with said side edge gauge.

5. Apparatus for feeding lifts of paper sheets to the bed of anautomatic paper treatment machine having a side edge guide, saidapparatus comprising:

an endless conveyor including a pair of laterally spaced chains havingparallel working stretches extending along a path through a lift depositstation, a treatment station on said bed and a lift discharge station;

lateral edge registration means associated with said working stretches,said means comprising:

a plurality of pairs of registration lugs spaced around said conveyor,each pair of lugs being laterally aligned normal to said path and tosaid side edge guide when on said bed at said treatment station toengage the trailing edge of a lift;

and intermittent drive means advancing said working stretchesunidirectionally between stations and halting said working stretchestemporarily with one pair of said lugs in predetermined position at saidtreatment station to register the trailing edge of the lift beingadvanced thereby;

a leading edge jogger pivoted to said machine below said path in rear ofsaid treatment station;

means for pivoting said jogger upwardly above said path and rearwardlytoward the pair of lugs halted at said station for engaging and aligningthe leading edge of the lift halted at said station;

longitudinal edge registration means associated with said workingstretches, said means comprising:

an upstanding side edge gauge extension extending 7 longitudinally alongone side of said path, parallel to said working stretches from said liftdeposit station to, and coplanar with, said side edge guide for engagingand guiding one side edge of the lifts being advanced by said lugs;

and a frame, associated with said conveyor, tilting the plane of saidworking stretches, and the plane of the bed of said machine, on alongitudinal axis downwardly toward said side edge guide to causegravity to register the side edge of said lifts thereon, in advance of,and at, said treatment station.

6. Apparatus for feeding lifts of paper sheets to the bed of anautomatic paper treatment machine having a side edge guide saidapparatus comprising: a

an endless conveyor including a pair of laterally spaced, chains havingparallel working stretches extending along a path through a lift depositstation, a treatment station on said bed and a lift discharge station;

lateral edge registration means associated with said conveyor, saidmeans comprising:

a plurality of pairs of registration lugs spaced around said conveyor,each pair of lugs being laterally aligned normal to said path and tosaid side edge guide when on said bed at said treatment station toengage the trailing lateral edge of a lift;

and intermittent drive means advancing said working stretchesundirectionally between stations and halting said working stretchestemporarily with one pair of said lugs in predetermined position at saidtreatment station to register the lateral trailing edge of the liftbeing advanced thereby;

and longitudinal edge registration means, associated with said conveyor,said means comprising:

an upstanding side edge gauge extension extending longitudinally alongone side of said path, parallel to said working stretches from said liftdeposit station to, and coplanar with, said side edge guide for engagingand guiding one side edge of the lifts being advanced by said lugs;

a frame, associated with said conveyor, tilting the plane of saidstretches, and the plane of the bed of said machine on a longitudinalaxis downwardly toward said side edge gauge to cause gravity to registerthe longitudinal edge of said lifts thereon in advance of and attreatment station;

and an electric control circuit including a source of current, a switchclosed by the presence of a lift at said treatment station, a switchclosed by the halting of said conveyor and a solenoid actuating saidautomatic paper treatment machine;

whereby said solenoid is energized only when said conveyor is haltedwith a lift at said treatment station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,174,965 3/16Brown 198-135 X 1,706,366 3/29 Swift 83-423 X 2,010,567 8/ Schwamb et al83-423 X 2,017,462 10/35 Kleineberg 83-268 X 2,022,877 12/35 Bettendorf146-155 X 2,562,938 8/51 Moyer 83-268 X 2,722,276 11/55 Revelle 83-2112,722,305 11/55 McCabe 198-23 X 2,731,086 1/56 Easton 83-268 2,732,0141/56 Luther 83-345 X 2,839,023 6/58 Eger 83-221 X 2,893,731 7/59Nordquist 271-48 X 3,013,458 12/61 Arvidson 83-221 X 0 ANDREW R. JUHASZ,Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Examiner.

2. APPARATUS FOR FEEDING LIFTS OF PAPER SHEETS TO AN AUTOMATIC PAPERPUNCHING MACHINE AND FOR REGISTERING SAID LIFTS RELATIVE TO THE PUNCHES,SIDE EDGE GAUGE AND BED OF SAID MACHINE, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING FRAMEMEANS SUPPORTING SAID MACHINE IN TILTED POSITION FOR REGISTERING A LIFTON SAID BED AGAINST SAID SIDE EDGE GAUGE BY GRAVITY; A PAIR OF LATERALLYSPACED, ENDLESS CHAINS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS, SAID CHAINS HAVING APARALLEL WORKING STRETCHES EXTENDING IN A PLANE NORMAL TO SAID SIDE EDGEGAUGE FROM A LIFT DEPOSIT STATION, ACROSS THE PUNCH BED OF SAID MACHINETO LIFT DISCHARGE STATION AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF LIFTADVANCING LUGS SPACED THEREAROUND, EACH PAIR DEFINING A TRANSVERSE LINENORMAL TO SAID SIDE EDGE GAUGE ON SAID STRETCH FOR ENGAGING THE TRAILINGEDGE OF A LIFT; INTERMITTENT DRIVE MEANS ADVANCING SAID CONVEYOR WORKINGSTRETCHES UNIDIRECTIONALLY FROM SAID DEPOSIT STATION ACROSS SAID PUNCHBED TO SID DISCHARGE STATION AND PERIODICALLY HALTING EACH SUCCESSIVEPAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED LUGS ON SAID BED WITH THE TRAILING EDGE OFTHE LIFT ENGAGED THEREBY NORMAL TO SAID SIDE GAUGE AND THE LIFT IN EXACTREGISTRATION WITH SAID PUNCHES; POSITIVE STOP MECHANISM ASSOCIATED WITHSID INTERMITTENT DRIVE MEANS, FOR POSITIVELY HALTING EACH SUCCESSIVEPAIR OF LUGS IN EXACT REGISTRATION ON SAID BED; AND ELECTRIC CONTROLCIRCUIT MEANS, INCLUDING A SWITCH CLOSED BY THE ACTUATION OF SAIDPOSITIVE STOP MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING THE PUNCHES OF SAID MACHINE DURINGTHE PERIODIC HALTS OF SAID CONVEYOR MEANS.